Method of drawing and winding a thread of endless filament and apparatus for implementing same

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus are disclosed for high speed drawing and winding of endless filament threads wherein the threads are passed over a plurality of pairs of draw rollers, each pair being vertically and axially offset with respect to the preceding and following pairs. In addition, each pair of rollers with the exception of the first and lowest pair has its axis inclined with respect to the horizontal to reduce the overall dimensions of the apparatus. After passing from the final pair of rollers, the thread is traversed at a distance from the final pair of at least six times the width of traversal, and is wound upon a suitable roller. Two or more parallel threads may be simultaneously processed by the draw rollers and then individually traversed and wound.

United States Patent [72] lnventors Rudoll Jaeggli Bern; Olivier Wust, Winterthur, both of, Switzerland [21 1 Appl. No. 827,449

[22] Filed Apr. 23, 1969 [45] Patented Sept. 14, 1971 [73] Assignee Rieter Machine Works Ltd.

Winterthur, Switzerland [32] Priority Apr. 24, 1968 3 3 Switzerland [54] METHOD OF DRAWlNG AND WINDING A THREAD OF ENDLESS FILAMENT AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING SAME 22 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

[52] 11.8. CI 242/355 R, 242/4708, 28/71.3, 57/55.5, 57/157 S [51] Int. Cl ..B65h 54/02, B65h 51/26 [50] Field of Search 242/355,

Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath Att0rney-Werner W. Kleeman ABSTRACT: A method and apparatus are disclosed for high speed drawing and winding of endless filament threads wherein the threads are passed over a plurality of pairs of draw rollers, each pair being vertically and axially offset with respect to the preceding and following pairs. In addition, each pair of rollers with the exception of the first and lowest pair has its axis inclined with respect to the horizontal to reduce the overall dimensions of the apparatus. After passing from the final pair of rollers, the thread is traversed at a distance from the final pair of at least six times the width of traversal, and is wound upon a suitable roller. Two or more parallel threads may be simultaneously processed by the draw rollers and then individually traversed and wound.

PATENTED SEPMIQYI 3 604 59 sum 1 OF 3 v /a' Mil/4 PATENTED SEP 1 4mm v sum 3 or 3 flunk/F J'JIGGA/ 11 01/1/12 Mia?- INVENTORI BWLM r METHOD OF DRAWING AND WINDING A THREAD OF ENDLESS FTLAMENT AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING SAME The present invention concerns a method of drawing and winding threads of endless filament emerging from the lower end of a spinning cabinet and also relates to an apparatus for implementing the aforesaid inventive method. In the conventional process of draw-winding the undrawn monofilament or multifilament thread, herein briefly referred to as thread, the thread was taken off downwards from a bobbin, produced on a takeup machine arranged below the spinning cabinet, said bobbin being reeled above the machine, and was drawn in a drawing device transferring the thread from an upper level down to a lower level, and if desired was relaxed in a subsequent relaxation zone. Subsequently the thread was wound onto a bobbin without imparting twist, using a winding device permitting small traverses or using a thread-traversing device provided with a tension sensitive swinging arm permitting large traverses. The latter design cannot be used on spin-drawwinding machines operating at about four times the winding speed of conventional draw-winders, as the tension sensitive swinging arm no longer follows the variations of thread path length a such high speeds. In order to avoid intolerably high peaks of thread tension, a considerably higher thread path triangle above the winding device must be provided. Thus, the drawing device would have to be arranged at a substantially higher level, as the winding device cannot be arranged at a lower level due to operating reasons. Threading in, however, in the drawing device now assumed mounted at too high a level, would result in an impossible operation. In spin-drawwinding, furthermore, due to the high thread speeds, and due to the requirement of heating the thread onthe draw rolls necessitated by said high thread speeds, the drawing device must be designed difierently from the ones used in the known draw-winding process using cold draw rolls, or possibly one heated draw roll, and stationary heaters upon which the thread is gliding. First, rolls of greater axial length must be provided in order to permit a number of thread wraps as large as possible and thus a longer contact time of the thread on the heated roll for sufficiently heating the thread. Furthermore, the separator roll must also be heated and its diameter can no longer be kept small if a heating device must be placed inside. Larger roll diameters are also needed in order to keep rotational speeds within reasonable limits at the higher thread speeds. In order to make threading around the larger separator roll accommodating a heating device possible, said roll must be driven also. Furthermore, it is known that for high tenacity filaments the drawing process must be divided into a predrawing and a main drawing phase and that therefore an additional drawing zone must be provided. For all these reasons it is obvious that without changing the basic design of the draw-winding machine the machine height needed for spin-draw-winding would be entirely unacceptable for operation. Furthermore, due to the greater number of superimposed draw rolls, not only the height but also the width of the machine would be increased because in the arrangement of rolls of greater axial length a suitable axial displacement must be provided, each subsequent roll being displaced outwardly by the width of the wraps on the preceding roll, so that the thread leaving the outer part of a rollreaches the innermost part of the subsequent roll. The last roll of the lowest zone, i.e. the relaxing roll, from which the thread would be transferred to the winding device arranged below, would beplaced extremely far out, so that operator access to the upper rolls placed farther inside would be impossible, particularly if the winding bobbin arranged below is placed considerably in front of the traversing pointjthis being the usual arrangement if the thread is wrapped halfway around a drive roll before being taken up by the winding bobbin.

SUMMARY OF'THE rNvENTioN With the above background in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to realize a spin-draw-winding device for drawing and winding a endless filament thread taken from a spinning cabinet, the height of the device being such that the groups of threads emerging from the spinning cabinet may be threaded around the top draw rolls without difiiculties and guided to the winding device by operators standing on the floor. It is a further object to provide such a winding device which is laid out for a relatively wide traverse in order to permit the production of packages suitable for processing machines following the drawing process the creels of which are laid out for accommodating draw-twisting bobbins as used generally earlier. Furthermore, the high thread speeds of the order of about 3,000 meters per minute in drawing and winding directly from the spinning cabinet and the correspondingly high traversing frequencies of the order of about 1,000 traversing cycles per minute are to be achieved without undue thread path length differences between extreme and middle traverse positions taken by the thread in very rapid succession,

' the danger of thread overstretching thus being excluded.

' Yet a further object of the invention is to provide the free thread path length to the traversing device needed to avoid said overstretching without increasing the height of the machine nor arranging the drawing device at an unduly high level which would be undesirable for operating the machine. Furthermore, due to takeup speeds of the thread emerging from the spinning cabinet of about 1,000 meters per minute and due to the winding speeds mentioned above of about 3,000 meters per minute in drawing and winding directly from a spinning cabinet, it is required that not only the diameter of the thread-carrying rolls in the drawing device be enlarged, but particularly that a sufficient contact time of the thread on the heated roll be achieved, the axial length of which is to be extended. This length, as mentioned before, being at least four times the roll length generally used thus far on draw-twisting and draw-winding machines, and the wraps of thread being spread from the inner end of each roll to its free outer end in order to make full use of said length, necessitates an axially displaced arrangement of the subsequent rolls and thus an undue width of the machine, particularly if the group of rolls must form a predrawing zone, a drawing zone and a relaxing zone so that three consecutive drawing and relaxing zones are provided.

An additional object of the invention therefore also consists in reducing the width of the machine and thus in improving accessibility of the draw rolls and of the winding devices. Furthermore, a large traverse is to be'achieved in spite of the elimination of a tension sensitive swinging arm.

These as well as other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are fulfilled by the provision of a method of drawing and winding an endless filament thread taken off a spinning cabinet by means ofa lowest roll of a group of superimposed rolls, diverting the thread upwardly, drawing and if needed relaxing or setting the thread in an upward movement by means of said group of rolls, the thread being diverted downwardly by an uppermost roll of said group of rolls and being traversed at a distance from the point where the thread leaves the uppermost roll, said distance corresponding to at least six times the traversing width.

A further characteristic of the method is that the thread path to the next pair of rolls. is chosen such that the point where the thread reaches the upper pair of rolls to form the first wrap always iscloser to the machine than thelast point, where the thread leaves the next lower pair of rolls.

The apparatus for implementing the method according to the invention is characterized in that a first pair of rolls taking up the thread emerging from the spinning cabinet is arranged at the bottom and that the pairs of rolls taking the thread from said first pair are arranged one above the other slightly displaced axially step by step by less than the working width and are slightly inclined with respect to said first pair of rolls.

tors easily can thread in owing to the free accessibility.

Furthermore, the machinegauge between two groups of rolls can be kept very small, as the stepwise axial displacement to the outside of the superimposed rolls permits, at least partially, the arrangement of the thread-traversing triangle in front of the pairs of rolls of a group of rolls at a small distance of the machine instead of a lateral arrangement of said triangle between two groups of rolls, which would necessitate a wide gauge, as a large intermediate space would be needed to accommodate the wide traverses required.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention itself will be better understood, and additional features and advantages thereof will become apparent, from the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 represents a front view of a spin-draw-winding machine according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, partially in section of the machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of an alternate embodiment of the invention; I

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a further alternative embodiment provided with two winding devices for reaching spinning point;

FIG. 6 is a front view of an alternative design having four winding devices for each spinning point;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view, partially in section of a still further alternative embodiment or arrangement to that of FIG. 2; and

FIGS. 8 and 9 represent two respective front views of two further embodiments, in which two mutually overlapping winding devices are provided for each spinning point.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring nowto the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a winding device is illustrated wherein the undrawn endless filaments, emerging'from the lower end of a spinning cabinet 2, contact a preparation roll 3, pass a guide 5 collecting said filaments into a strand 4, called thread in the following, vertically down with a roll 6 forming with a roll 7 a first pair 8 of rolls, said rolls 6 and 7 rotating at a circumferential speed of approx. 1,000 meters per minute. At a short distance above, the pairs of rolls 9, 10 and 11 of a group of rolls 12 are similarly arranged. A plurality of wraps 13 (FIG. 2) of the thread are threaded around both rolls 6 and 7, the axles of which are not parallel in the horizontal plane but are slightly converging towards the free end of the rolls so that a certain axial displacement from wrap to wrap can be achieved. This also could be achieved if a skewed, i.e. noncoplanar arrangement of the roll axles or shafts is used.

Each roll of a group is provided with a heating device located inside the roll (not shown). The thread leaving roll 7 of the first pair of rolls 8 near free end 14 of the roll 7 is predrawn or initially tension drafted l to 300 per cent and contacts the'axially inward part of a roll shown as the left roll of a roll pair 9 in FIG. 1 arranged above the roll pair 8, the axles or shafts of roll pair 9 pointing upwardly forming an angle a of 4 to 10 (see FIG. 2) with respect to the horizontal HO. After running through aplurality of wraps around roll pair 9 the thread leaves said roll pair again near the free offend of the rolls, is drawn about 200 to 500 percent and is transferred onto a further pair of rolls 10 above also inclined upwardly at an angle a with respect to the horizontal. After running from the inner part towards the free roll end through a plurality'of wraps again the thread is transferred to a similarly inclined pair of relaxing rolls 11 running slower than the preceding pairs of rolls. This permits arrangement of the rolls of the pairs 9, 10, and 11 successively farther to the inside of the machine than if the roll axles were arranged horizontally,

as the thread moving upwardly onto the following roll will also follow a direction inclined towards the inside, of the machine under the angle a of 4 to 10 with respect to the vertical. On the pair of relaxing rolls 11 the thread again runs from the inner part towards the outer roll ends through a plurality of wraps until after leaving roll .15 shown at the upper right in FIG. 1 the thread is transferred to a horizontally traversing thread guide 16, of a design known as such to the art, of a winding device 17, arranged below the group of rolls l2. Said winding device 17 being located at a low level, the extreme positions of the thread traversing over the width H form a relatively high isosceles-traversing triangle A, B, C having a length ratio of its height to its base length of at least 6 to No additional thread guide is used in the thread path between the departure point A on roll 15 and the traversing thread guide 16. Investigations of the thread tensions have shown that in processing a relatively inelastic thread at the high traversing speed of approx. 1,000 traversing cycles per minute needed in draw-winding directly from the'spinning cabinet, the tension peaks caused by the differences in path length of the traversing triangle are just below the maximum admissible tensions below which no permanent overelongation of the thread occurs. The ratio of height to base length of 6 to I mentioned above thus is the lower admissible limit at the processing speeds considered. Obviously the relaxing l1 and the rolls 10 may be used as a setting zone, if both pairs of rolls are rotating at the same circumferential speed, without any changes in the yarn path. All rolls are driven individually by an electrical motor M provided for each.

A further possible arrangement of the yarn path in a spindraw-winding machine is depicted in the alternative embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The arrangement of the drawrolls does not differ from the one shown in FIGS. I and 2, however, bobbin 18 as well as drive roll 19 and the grooved roll 20 actuating the traversing movement are arranged at right angles to the lengthwise axis of the machine. This alternative design thus differs from the one shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that the triangle A, B, C, formed by the traversing thread is arranged in a plane E at right angles to the plane L coinciding with the backwall of the machine. The thread moving down approximately vertically forms the traversing triangle A, B, C over the horizontal traversing distance, the length ratio of height to base being the same as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. Owing to the stepwise axial displacement in the arrangement of the drawing rolls the traversing triangle A, B, C may be placed very far inside towards the center of a section in front of the groups of rolls (FIG. 3) without the danger of contact between the rolls and the thread in its extreme inside position. The width of the machine including the winding device exceeds the width needed for the lowest rolls only by somewhat more than the traversing width (FIG. 4). This arrangement permits an additional reduction of the space required in comparison to the design embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Another alternative embodiment is shown in FIG. 5. The filament strand emerging from the spinning cabinet is divided into two parallel threads 24 and 27 by two thread guides 22, 23. Said threads are drawn and relaxed together, both threads being placed side by side on the rolls in the known manner. One of the threads (24) is taken up by the winding device 26 after leaving relaxing roll 25. The other thread 27 is taken up by the winding device 29 after leaving roll 28. In this manner two winding devices may be accommodated within one sectron.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 the strand of filaments emerging from the spinning cabinet is divided by means of four thread guides into an array of four parallel threads which are drawn and relaxed together. Two threads 31 after leaving relaxing roll 32 jointly pass via traversing thread guide 33 onto drive roll 34. One of the threads 31 is then taken up by bobbin 35 resting on the drive roll 34, while the other thread 31 follows the drive roll 34 further until it is taken up by bobbin 36.

The remaining two threads '37 after leaving roll 38 are transferred in the same manner via traversing guide 39 onto two spools 40 and 41, respectively.

The alternative arrangement shown in FIG. 7 differs from the one shown in FIG. 2 only in that the thread path 42 is placed as far towards the inside as possible, so that the plane formed by the thread triangle clears the outermost limits or contours of the free ends of the draw rolls and so that no contact during operation and no influence by the air currents created by the rotation draw rolls occurs. The winding device 43 then can be placed so far to the inside that the takeup bobbin exceeds or protrudes past the width of the machine determined by the outermost top draw roll 45 by an insignificant amount.

As shown in FIG. 8 two separate and parallel threads are drawn and relaxed or set respectively by means of each of three groups of rolls. This arrangement represents a drawing system simplified by omitting the predrawing zone, which is feasible in processing, e.g., fine denier threads. One thread 46 is transferred directly by roll 47 to a thread traversing guide 48 moving substantially parallel to the draw roll and arranged just below the rows of rolls, and is partially placed on a friction drum 49 and is taken up by a bobbin 50. The other thread 51 is transferred from the same roll 47 to a second threadtraversing guide driven by the same drum 52 and is placed on a friction drum 54 symmetrically arranged with respect to the first one 49 and is taken up by a bobbin 55. The device formed by the components 48 through 55 is hereinafter referred to as a winding arrangement. The threads 57 and 58 originating from the next spinning cabinet similarly are transferred by roll 59 to a winding arrangement 60 arranged at a lower level. The thread triangle formed by thread 57 can be placed as close towards bobbin 55 as feasible if contact during operation is to be avoided. This permits placement of roll 59 of the next section correspondingly close to roll 47, i.e. the dimensions of the spinning cabinets can be kept very small. This arrangement permits accommodation of two bobbins within a small spinning cabinet (fine deniers), the same bobbin size as e.g. shown in FIG. 5 being maintained. The yarn path 58 again is determined by the distance to the next winding arrangement. In this arrangement the size of the device is influenced not by the bobbin distances between winding arrangements, but rather by the yarn path of the threads transferred by the draw rolls also placed at narrow gauge, where the shape of said yarn paths can be chosen quite unrestrictedly by suitably displacing the tiers of rolls and choosing the height of the thread triangles. Furthermore, the overlapping of the winding arrangements permits compact machine height with, as mentioned before, a narrow spinning cabinet size.

The alternative arrangement shown in FIG. 9 also represents a solution for processing fine denier threads. A row of threads 62 consisting of a plurality of threads, e.g. of 8 threads, running parallel is drawn and relaxed by the superimposed groups of rolls arranged in tiers. One quarter 63 of all threads originating from a spinning cabinet is transferred from the left top roll 64 to the left side of a winding arrangement located as closely below the left row of rolls as possible on the left-hand side, while a second quarter 66 of all threads is transferred to the right side of said winding arrangement 65. After leaving the traverse guide mechanism and the drive roll, half of each quarter 63 or 66, i.e., in this example one thread each, is respectively taken up by a lower bobbin 67 and an upper bobbin 68. On the right side of the winding arrangement the same operation is effected symmetrically. The remaining two quarters of all threads, e.g. a total of four threads, are transferred to the right top roll 69 and from there are guided to a winding arrangement 70 located at a lower level, said winding arrangement 70 being of the same type as the winding device 65 described before, but arranged at a lower level. This method, as also the one shown in FIG. 8, has the advantage that owing to the reduced height of the drawing system (the predrawing zone being omitted) one winding arrangement can be arranged at a higher level and thus space is available for a second overlapping winding arrangement located at a lower level. In this manner two winding arrangements containing four bobbins each can be accommodated within a width T which, however, is larger than width T shown in FIG. 8. Obviously the lateral displacement of the lower winding arrangement against the upper one is determined by the distance between them and by the yarn path extending down to the lower winding arrangement. Of course, the winding arrangements 56 and 65 in analogous manner can be placed at the lower level and winding arrangements at the upper level.

It is evident that by providing a method and apparatus for winding as described above, all of the objects set forth in the introduction to the specification have been successfully fulfilled.

Accordingly, what is claimed is:

l. A method of drawing and winding an endless filament thread taken from a spinning cabinet, comprising the steps of transferring the thread by the lowest roll of a plurality of vertically superimposed rolls, diverting the thread upwardly, drawing the thread by means of the remainder of said plurality of rolls, diverting the thread downwardly from the uppermost roll of said plurality of rolls, and traversing the thread through a path onto a winding bobbin at a distance from said uppermost roll of at least six times the width of said traversal path.

2. A method of drawing and winding an endless filament thread taken from a spinning cabinet, comprising the steps of transferring the thread by a lowermost roll of a group of rolls arranged at a lowermost position of a plurality of superimposed groups of rolls, diverting the thread upwardly, drawing the thread by means of at least some of said plurality of superimposed groups of rolls, diverting the thread downwardly from an uppermost roll of an uppermost group of rolls of said plurality of groups of rolls, and traversing the thread through a path onto a winding bobbin at a distance from said uppermost roll of said uppermost group of rolls of at least six times the width of the traversal path.

3. A method of drawing and winding an endless mono or multifilament thread taken from a spinning cabinet, comprising the steps of transferring the thread to a first roll of a group of rolls arranged at a lowermost position with regard to a plurality of superimposed groups of rolls, winding the thread thereon in a number of loops, diverting the thread upwardly from said group of lowermost rolls to the next groups of rolls and winding on each a number of loops thereon, drawing the thread by means of at least some of the superimposed groups of rolls, diverting the thread downwardly from the uppermost group of rolls, and traversing the thread through a path onto a takeup spool at a distance from said uppermost group of rolls of at least six times the width of the transversal path.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, further including the step of initially subjecting the thread to a tensioning draft.

5. The method as defined in claim 3, further including the step of passing the thread from each group of rolls to the next succeeding group of rolls axially inward in a direction towards said next succeeding group of rolls.

6. The method as defined in claim 3, further including the step of causing the downwardly diverted thread to leave the uppermost group of rolls at a point which together with said traversal path defines a plane disposed at a minimum distance in front of at least one of the groups of rolls of said plurality of superimposed groups of rolls.

7. The method as defined in claim 3, further including the step of traversing the thread in a direction substantially parallel to said plurality of groups of rolls in a manner that a plane defined by a plurality of neighboring innermost thread positions is disposed at a minimum distance in front of one group of rolls of said plurality of superimposed groups of rolls.

8. The method as defined in claim 3, further including the steps of withdrawing two parallel threads in side-by-side relationship, a passing one of said threads from one roll of said uppermost group of rolls to a first traversing guide mechanism, passing the other thread from another roll of said uppermost groups of rolls to a second traversing guide mechanism, and

subsequently winding each of said two threads upon a respective takeup spool.

9. The method as defined in claim 3, including the steps of withdrawing four parallel threads in side-by-side relationship, passing one pair of such threads from one roll of said uppermost group of rolls to a first common traversing guide mechanism, and winding each of said pair of threads separately upon respective takeup spools, and passing the other pair of threads from another roll of said uppermost group of rolls to a second common traversing guide mechanism, and then separately winding said other pair of threads upon respective takeup spools.

10. The method as defined in claim 3, including the steps of transferring a plurality of parallel threads to said first roll of said group of rolls arranged at said lowermost position, diverting said plurality of threads upwardly from said group of lowermost rolls to said uppermost group of rolls, passing half of the total number of said plurality of threads from one roll of said uppermost group of rolls to a first traversing guide mechanism disposed below said groups of rolls, traversing said one-half of said total number of said plurality of threads by means of said traversing guide mechanism in a direction substantially parallel to said groups of rolls, and passing the remaining half of said total number of said plurality of threads from another one of said uppermost group of rolls to a second traversing guide mechanism disposed symmetrically with respect to said first traversing guide mechanism, and traversing said pmaining half of said total number of said plurality of threads by means of said second traversing guide mechanism in a direction substantially parallel to said groups of rolls.

1 1. The method as defined in claim 3, further including the steps of transferring a plurality of parallel threads to said first roll of said group of rolls arranged at said lowermost position, upwardly diverting said plurality of parallel threads from said lowermost group of rolls to said uppermost group of rolls, passing a first quarter of the total number of threads from one roll of said uppermost group of rolls to a first traversing guide mechanism disposed below said groups of rolls, traversing said first quarter of said total number of threads in a direction substantially parallel to said groups of rolls, and thereafter separating said first quarter of threads into individual threads which are then individually wound upon separate takeup spools, transferring a second quarter of said total number of threads to a second traversing guide mechanism, and a plurality of individual second takeup spools, and similarly transferring said third and fourth quarters of the total number of threads, respectively, to third and fourth traversing guide mechanisms, and individual third and fourth takeup spools, which form respective winding arrangements, said winding arrangements being disposed beneath said first and second takeup spools and being laterally offset with respect thereto, so that the path of the third and fourth quarters of the threads being wound upon said winding arrangement passes at a minimum distance from said takeup spools of said second quarter of the total number of threads.

12. The method as defined in claim 3, including the step of at least relaxing the thread subsequent to said step of drawing the thread.

13. The method as defined in claim 3, including the step of at least setting the thread subsequent to said step of drawing the thread.

14. An apparatus for drawing and winding an endless filament thread taken off a spinning cabinet, comprising a first pair of substantially horizontal rolls taking up said thread transferred thereto, further pairs of rolls disposed above said first pair and sequentially taking the thread from said first pair of .rolls, each of said further pairs of rolls being displaced axially with respect to the preceding and succeeding pairs of rolls by less than their working width, and said further pairs of rolls being inclined vertically with respect to said first pair of rolls.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, further compising a traversing and winding mechanism disposed below said first pair of rolls.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, comprising a traversing and winding mechanism disposed substantially parallel to said first pair of rolls and disposed between the rolls of said pair of rolls.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, comprising two tranversing and winding mechanisms arranged side-by-side below said first pair of rolls.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, comprising two traversing mechanisms and two winding mechanisms disposed substantially parallel to said first pair of rolls and in side-byside relationship.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the angle between said first pair of rolls and said subsequent inclined rolls is within the range of approximately 5 to 10.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, comprising two winding arrangements, each provided with two traversing guide mechanisms traversing substantially parallel to the axles of said rolls and with corresponding drive rolls and bobbins, said winding arrangements being disposed below said rolls within a distance determined by the width of said spinning cabinet, said winding arrangements being vertically offset with respect to each other.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein said winding arrangements overlap horizontally.

22. An apparatus for drawing and winding an endless filament thread, comprising a plurality of superimposed groups of pairs of rolls including a first pair of rolls taking up said thread transferred thereto and defining a lowermost group of rolls of said plurality of groups of rolls, said first pair of rolls having axes disposed substantially perpendicular to the direction of infeed of the thread, said remaining superimposed groups of pairs of rolls defining further pairs of rolls disposed above said first pair of rolls and sequentially taking the thread from said first pair of rolls, each of said further pairs of rolls being displaced axially with respect to the receding and succeeding pairs of rolls by less than their working width, and said further pairs of rolls being inclined vertically with respect to the horizontal.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CGRRECTION Patent No Dated September 14,

Inventor(s) Rudolf Jaeggli and Olivier Wust It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 25, after "length" replace "a" by -at-- Column 3, line 28, replace "reaching" by --each- Column 3, line 4-6, replace "with", first occurrence by to Column 4, line 14, after "6 to" insert --l-- Column 4, line 25, after "relaxinq insert -rolls- Column 6, line 72 (claim 8) before "passing" delete a- Column 7, line 28 (claim 10) read "emaining" as -remaining- Column 8, line 53 (claim 22) read "receding" as -preceding-- Signed and sealed this 29th day of January 197M.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETGHER,JR. RENE D. TEGTME'YER Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents 

2. A method of drawing and winding an endless filament thread taken from a spinning cabinet, comprising the steps of transferring the thread by a lowermost roll of a group of rolls arranged at a lowermost position of a plurality of superimposed groups of rolls, diverting the thread upwardly, drawing the thread by means of at least some of said plurality of superimposed groups of rolls, diverting the thread downwardly from an uppermost roll of an uppermost group of rolls of said plurality of groups of rolls, and traversing the thread through a path onto a winding bobbin at a distance from said uppermost roll of said uppermost group of rolls of at least six times the width of the traversal path.
 3. A method of drawing and winding an endless mono or multifilament thread taken from a spinning cabinet, comprising the steps of transferring the thread to a first roll of a group of rolls arranged at a lowermost position with regard to a plurality of superimposed groups of rolls, winding the thread thereon in a number of loops, diverting the thread upwardly from said group of lowermost rolls to the next groups of rolls and winding on each a number of loops thereon, drawing the thread by means of at least some of the superimposed groups of rolls, diverting the thread downwardly from the uppermost group of rolls, and traversing the thread through a path onto a takeup spool at a distance from said uppermost group of rolls of at least six times the width of the transversal path.
 4. The method as defined in claim 3, further including the step of initially subjecting the thread to a tensioning draft.
 5. The method as defined in claim 3, further including the step of passing the thread from each group of rolls to the next succeeding group of rolls axially inward in a direction towards said next succeeding group of rolls.
 6. The method as defined in claim 3, further including the step of causing the downwardly diverted thread to leave the uppermost group of rolls at a point which together with said traversal path defines a plane disposed at a minimum distance in front of at least one of the groups of rolls of said plurality of superimposed groups of rolls.
 7. The method as defined in claim 3, further including the step of traversing the thread in a direction substantially parallel to said plurality of groups of rolls in a manner that a plane defined by a plurality of neighboring innermost thread positions is disposed at a minimum distance in front of one group of rolls of said plurality of superimposed groups of rolls.
 8. The method as defined in claim 3, further including the steps of withdrawing two parallel threads in side-by-side relationship, a passing one of said threads from one roll of said uppermost group of rolls to a first traversing guide mechanism, passing the other thread from another roll of said uppermost groups of rolls to a second traversing guide mechanism, and subsequently winding each of said two threads upon a respective takeup spool.
 9. The method as defined in claim 3, including the steps of withdrawing four parallel threads in side-by-side relationship, passing one pair of such threads from one roll of said uppermost group of rolls to a first common traversing guide mechanism, and winding each of said pair of threads separately upon respective takeup spools, and passing the other pair of threads from another roll of said uppermost group of rolls to a second common traversing guide mechanism, and then separately winding said other pair of threads upon respective takeup spools.
 10. The method as defined in claim 3, including the steps of transferring a plurality of parallel threads to said first roll of said group of rolls arranged at said lowermost position, diverting said plurality of threads upwardly from said group of lowermost rolls to said uppermost group of rolls, passing half of the totaL number of said plurality of threads from one roll of said uppermost group of rolls to a first traversing guide mechanism disposed below said groups of rolls, traversing said one-half of said total number of said plurality of threads by means of said traversing guide mechanism in a direction substantially parallel to said groups of rolls, and passing the remaining half of said total number of said plurality of threads from another one of said uppermost group of rolls to a second traversing guide mechanism disposed symmetrically with respect to said first traversing guide mechanism, and traversing said remaining half of said total number of said plurality of threads by means of said second traversing guide mechanism in a direction substantially parallel to said groups of rolls.
 11. The method as defined in claim 3, further including the steps of transferring a plurality of parallel threads to said first roll of said group of rolls arranged at said lowermost position, upwardly diverting said plurality of parallel threads from said lowermost group of rolls to said uppermost group of rolls, passing a first quarter of the total number of threads from one roll of said uppermost group of rolls to a first traversing guide mechanism disposed below said groups of rolls, traversing said first quarter of said total number of threads in a direction substantially parallel to said groups of rolls, and thereafter separating said first quarter of threads into individual threads which are then individually wound upon separate takeup spools, transferring a second quarter of said total number of threads to a second traversing guide mechanism, and a plurality of individual second takeup spools, and similarly transferring said third and fourth quarters of the total number of threads, respectively, to third and fourth traversing guide mechanisms, and individual third and fourth takeup spools, which form respective winding arrangements, said winding arrangements being disposed beneath said first and second takeup spools and being laterally offset with respect thereto, so that the path of the third and fourth quarters of the threads being wound upon said winding arrangement passes at a minimum distance from said takeup spools of said second quarter of the total number of threads.
 12. The method as defined in claim 3, including the step of at least relaxing the thread subsequent to said step of drawing the thread.
 13. The method as defined in claim 3, including the step of at least setting the thread subsequent to said step of drawing the thread.
 14. An apparatus for drawing and winding an endless filament thread taken off a spinning cabinet, comprising a first pair of substantially horizontal rolls taking up said thread transferred thereto, further pairs of rolls disposed above said first pair and sequentially taking the thread from said first pair of rolls, each of said further pairs of rolls being displaced axially with respect to the preceding and succeeding pairs of rolls by less than their working width, and said further pairs of rolls being inclined vertically with respect to said first pair of rolls.
 15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising a traversing and winding mechanism disposed below said first pair of rolls.
 16. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, comprising a traversing and winding mechanism disposed substantially parallel to said first pair of rolls and disposed between the rolls of said pair of rolls.
 17. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, comprising two tranversing and winding mechanisms arranged side-by-side below said first pair of rolls.
 18. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, comprising two traversing mechanisms and two winding mechanisms disposed substantially parallel to said first pair of rolls and in side-by-side relationship.
 19. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the angle between said first pair of rolls and said subsequent inclined rolls is within the range of approximately 5* to 10*.
 20. An apParatus as defined in claim 14, comprising two winding arrangements, each provided with two traversing guide mechanisms traversing substantially parallel to the axles of said rolls and with corresponding drive rolls and bobbins, said winding arrangements being disposed below said rolls within a distance determined by the width of said spinning cabinet, said winding arrangements being vertically offset with respect to each other.
 21. An apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein said winding arrangements overlap horizontally.
 22. An apparatus for drawing and winding an endless filament thread, comprising a plurality of superimposed groups of pairs of rolls including a first pair of rolls taking up said thread transferred thereto and defining a lowermost group of rolls of said plurality of groups of rolls, said first pair of rolls having axes disposed substantially perpendicular to the direction of infeed of the thread, said remaining superimposed groups of pairs of rolls defining further pairs of rolls disposed above said first pair of rolls and sequentially taking the thread from said first pair of rolls, each of said further pairs of rolls being displaced axially with respect to the receding and succeeding pairs of rolls by less than their working width, and said further pairs of rolls being inclined vertically with respect to the horizontal. 